The third point of view

Eden didn't even understand what he was doing in this nightclub. Normally he visits a high-class bar and drowns his senses with a bottle of whiskey but tonight, he just wanted a loud, rowdy club.

He had been a fool to think that with Adam gone, he'd been the happiest man on earth but reality just slapped him on the face. Crudely. Yes, he finally had peace of mind by bringing to justice the man who caused his father's death but then, he was alone.

Over the years, he was driven by the madness of avenging his father and making Niklaus' life miserable. However, things got complicated along the way and neither did he planned to fall in love. He had only shown interest in Maya because he wanted to use her against Niklaus, who knew he would lose a precious gem in the process of exacting revenge.

Sure, he had Anabelle by his side, that was a reason to keep going forward. But then, he was a man designed to have a companion by his side, just as Adam needed Eve.

Finally, he had revenge on Adam and assumed the rightful position as the Family Head, but he was lonely. He wasn't stupid enough to attempt to snatch Reina away - right from time, she only had eyes for his cousin, Niklaus.

Eden was wallowing in self-pity when he realized a slight commotion by his side. A lady was sitting beside him - how didn't he even notice? - drinking quietly and there seems to be a man bothering her.

"I said I'm not interested, can't you get that into your neanderthal brain," she hissed out.

"Come on," the man pressed with a nauseating grin, " I know you're just playing hard to get. I could make you feel good, isn't that what you're here for, anyway?" He claimed, moving to touch her butt.

"How dare you grope me?!" She stood to her feet angrily, but before she could bring down the bottle she had planned to hit him on the head, Eden had punched the bastard in the face.

"I don't think anyone's going to believe it was self-defense," Eden hinted out the flaw in her plan if she mistakenly murders the asshole.

Before she could say a word, the son of a bastard who groped her stood with anger focused at Eden, "How dare you?"

Eden flexed his fist, awaiting the fool to land his first attempt at attacking him which failed miserably. The man was nothing but a big-mouthed coward; two punches and he was out cold.

Done, Eden dusted his palm and returned to his seat, a look of awe on the girl's face

"I didn't know you could fight this well, always thought you were on the desk signing papers all day," she said and that caught Eden's attention.

He pointed to his chest, " You know me?"

"You don't remember?" she couldn't believe her ears, she turned to him fully, "Well, can't blame you anyway, it's been seven years already and memories are bound to fade,"

She went on, "I'm Camille, once your dancing partner at the Spencer group gala seven years ago, and worked in your company as Maya's manager before she died, "

"Oh," Eden went quiet at the mention of Maya. Though It's been confirmed that Reina's Maya but the girl has refused to reclaim her identity.

Reina claims this current personality is her true identity. "Maya" was a fake identity created by her mother, Angela and now she has come to assume her true position. So the public should live with the belief that Maya was dead - Reina was the compensation heaven gave her for all the difficulty she went through.

"I remember you now," Eden looked at her, noticing how beautiful her eyes were; an attractive hazel color, " You quitted right after she died,"

"Yeah," Camille nodded, she took a sip from the glass, "I failed her, I failed my role as a manager, I failed to protect her. I wasn't there for her when she needed me - nobody was there for her"

"Stop beating yourself over the incident. It's all in the past," Eden comforted her.

"How do you even live with the guilt over the years?" She asked like a student looking up to the teacher for guidance.

"I don't live with it because she's alive," He answered and watched the way her greenish-brown eyes widened, it was beautiful.

"What?!" Camille was shocked, " She's alive - !" She lowered her voice upon noticing the gesture Eden tactically made. Even if there was no chance of someone eavesdropping on their discussion with the amount of music playing in the background, they still had to be careful.

"We should go somewhere else to discuss, are you done for the night? I could take you home?" He offered with no underhanded agenda in mind.

Camille blinked, surprised at his kind gesture. She knew Eden had always been a gentleman but he had a trace of mischief to him too. She remembered the history between him and Maya and their dysfunctional family. However, she still found herself accepting, "Yes, I'm done,"

"Let's go then," Eden held out his hand, gesturing to her to lead the way as if saying, "Ladies first".

Camille got down from the stool she had been sitting on, but the drink messed with her head a bit because she stumbled.

Thinking she was about to fall, Eden was quick to reach out and snake his hands around her waist, pressing her to his body. He inhaled the sweet fragrance of her faint perfume, something stirred up in him.

Camille placed her hands on him, her manicured fingers drawing circles on his chest as they looked into each other's eyes.

"Are you okay?" he asked, breathlessly.

"Yes," She remembered how to breathe.

He moved his warm hands off his waist which she kind of missed. Gosh! What in the world of God was wrong with her?

"Let's go," they finally made their way out of the club.

As they left, Eden took a good glance at the woman which made him understand why the men at the club had been eyef*cking her - which kind of irked him. Women deserve respect and not to be treated as some sort of sex doll.

For sure, Camille was a beautiful blonde woman but the icing on the cake was her bottom; full and perky - there was no way surgery could give this kind of perfection. It was so natural and difficult to take the eyes off - even he stared, a little.

"Maya survived the fall," Eden began to narrate to her the details as soon as they hit the road. He watched her face display several expressions in just a short while.

"Oh my God," she let out a shaky breath, "This is reliving, you don't know how much I lived with the thought of failing to protect my first artist. It ruined my life,"

"Maya didn't mean to hide it away from you but she likes her life as Reina. She thinks of it as a rebirth, like achieving Nirvana or something - she'd explain better when you both meet," Eden told her, taking his eyes off the road to look at her face briefly.

Camille smiled at him.

He smiled back, then fixed his eyes back on the road as they drove in silence. Not long after, he arrived at her place, a decent bungalow amongst the rows of others in this neat neighborhood.

"Thanks for the ride tonight," She said, leaning forward to peck him on the cheeks, her lips lingering longer than required.

"You're welcome," Eden whispered, kind of wishing it was her lips on his. Get behind me, Satan! He pushed that ridiculous thought to the back of his mind.

After that, Camille got out of the car and Eden was ready to leave before he lost his senses when he heard her ask,

"Do you want to come in for tea or coffee?"

Of course, Eden knew the possibility of what could happen in there with her - they were a man and woman for Christ's sake. He could have said "No" as the gentleman he had always been but he found himself agreeing to her request and followed her into the house like a lost puppy.

"You can take a look around, I'd get the tea ready," she said, going over to the kitchen while he lingered in the living room.

From the look of things, she lived alone and seemed to enjoy cleanliness, her things were arranged in order; nothing was out of place.

"You live alone?" Eden asked, sensing her enter the room.

"Yes, I live alone. Is that a problem? "

"No, it's not a…. " Eden trailed off as soon as he noticed she had taken off her jacket and let her hair down. She was indeed beautiful.

"With you staring at me that way, don't blame me for doing this"

Eden was taken back when she reached out, grabbed his shirt, and lowered his head to kiss him. It was short-lived, yet a mind-blowing kiss.

Eden looked her straight in the eyes questioningly, and when he got the answer he needed, plunged deep into the kiss like a horse diving in for water. Desperate for more like he had been starved for years, he deepened the kiss by threading his fingers through her hair, groaning against her lips as she kissed him back with the same ferocity while he held her close to feel him - and the evidence of his arousal. Tonight was going to be a wild one.